The Rainforest Alliance is an international nonprofit organization that works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. Based in New York City, with offices throughout the United States and worldwide, the Rainforest Alliance works with people whose livelihoods depend on the land, helping them transform the way they grow food, harvest wood and host travelers.

RA-Cert, a division of the Rainforest Alliance, supports the organization’s mission by delivering sustainability auditing, verification, validation and certification services based on the best available global standards. RA-Cert conducts its work with the highest integrity, transparency and quality in order to generate positive economic, ecological and social benefits for our clients and worldwide.

Position Summary:

The Carbon Technical Specialist will serve as the RA-Cert auditing and certification division’s global resource for policies, systems, quality monitoring and training for carbon validation and verification services implemented across RA-Cert’s regions and partner organizations. S/he will have oversight of services including maintenance of related accreditations, audit management, auditing, and monitoring of Rainforest Alliance’s global carbon portfolio to ensure consistent implementation of RA-Cert policies and procedures.

Responsibilities:

Serve as technical expert for carbon services:
• In coordination with the Climate Program, keep current on climate and carbon auditing policy issues as well as new carbon verification methodologies and tools and standards;
• Serve as global resource, including policy interpretation, for RA-Cert regional offices and partners on carbon-related auditing services;
• Develop and maintain RA-Cert policies and procedures, including manuals, templates, and guidance materials; and
• Oversee systems development of new RA-Cert carbon evaluation services.
Carbon Portfolio Oversight and delivery of regional capacity:
• Support regional management to develop and implement strategies to promote and implement carbon auditing activities and to meet verification targets;
• Coordinate with regional office and partner staff to ensure timely and appropriate actions in response to stakeholder complaints and comments;
• Assist RA-Cert regional and partner staff with carbon audit management including; preparation of forestry carbon project proposals, budgeting, team identification, report writing, technical report review, and finalization of assessments;
• Conduct audits and write reports for carbon validations and verifications in designated regions or for selected clients in coordination with the relevant Regional Manager and/or staff;
• Provide support in the development of local auditor capacity; and
• Provide support in the recruitment of clients, particularly in explaining technical aspects of carbon measurement.
Quality Monitoring and Training:
• Work with the Quality Assurance Manager to develop, implement and a maintain quality monitoring system for review of carbon services;
• Monitor auditor performance and overall quality of carbon auditing across all regions through report reviews and witness audits;
• Develop and maintain training modules and tools to improve carbon auditor and staff competency; and
• Deliver training to RA-Cert and partner staff and auditors as necessary.
Liaison with Accreditation Bodies:
• Serve as point person for accreditation audits and enquiries related to carbon services (e.g., ANSI, Verified Carbon Standard; Climate, Community and Biodiversity Alliance (CCBA), Plan Vivo; Climate Action Reserve, CarbonFix Standard, American Carbon Registry);
• Notify RA-Cert and partner staff of necessary accreditation communications, including documents under review, finalized policies, and guidance;
• Represent RA-Cert in technical discussions with climate and GHG entities (e.g., researchers, stakeholders, associations); and
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Forestry, Ecology or related Natural Resource field required; Master’s degree or equivalent academic degree strongly preferred;
• Minimum of 5 years, minimum of 2 years of field experience in forestry/related field and in carbon modeling/calculations or carbon standards; experience in REDD project development or evaluation strongly preferred;
• Strong understanding of carbon modeling for forestry and land use projects as well as current AFOLU project methodologies and GHG quantification of forest carbon;
• Experience in developing auditing and certification systems including tools, procedures and manuals as well as training program design;
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, and Outlook with a working knowledge of PowerPoint;
• Excellent writing, editing and verbal communication skills;
• Spanish or French written and verbal proficiency desired;
• Strong organizational skills to manage multiple priorities in a time sensitive manner;
• Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to interact culturally, linguistically, and diplomatically with diverse internal and external individuals;
• Initiative, self-motivated, resourceful, and dependable with a strong attention to detail; and
• Ability and willingness to travel a minimum of 25% per year, nationally and internationally.

Salary:

Commensurate with experience. Competitive benefits package provided.

To apply:

Send resume, cover letter and salary history to Human Resources, Rainforest Alliance, 665 Broadway, Suite 500, New York, NY 10012; Fax: 212-677-2187; E-mail: Personnel@ra.org. If emailing, use the following format in the subject line: first name and last name, job title of position you are applying for.

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